Posted by I’ve been gathering old photographs of Wickenburg for wickenburg-az.com‘s new Before and After section. I’ve found quite a few and will soon be putting them online, along with images from the same places today.
I ran across the following photograph yesterday. I couldn’t figure out where it was, although I thought it might be Anita’s on Valentine Street. I’m not sure when the photo is from, but I’d estimate sometime in the 1960s. Perhaps someone has more information and can enlighten us. (Use the Comments link below.)
Frick’s Indian Store in Wickenburg of the past.
I posted the photo on this site (the post has since been deleted) and a site visitor named Darlene correctly identified the building within 30 minutes. (How’s that for quick action?) As she pointed out, it’s the building that currently houses B&S Discount Store and, until recently, the Wickenburg Farmer’s Market (which went out of business earlier this month, as reported by John in another article here).
Here’s what the building looked like this morning:
642 West Wickenburg Way, February 1, 2006
If anyone has other pictures of this location — preferably older ones — or information about past occupants, let us know. Use the Comments link below.
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I was amazed to see a picture of Frick’s Indian Store on your web site today. In the 1970′s my family owned “Custard’s Last Stand,” if ANYONE remembers that drive in restaurant, at 620 Whipple (now West Wickenburg Way, I guess). It was just a couple of doors down the road. I think only one business, a nursery called “The Cactus Fair” separated our place from Frick’s. (A small strip mall was later built on part of the Cactus Fair street front).
I remember buying a friendship ring for the girl I had a crush on in sixth grade at the old Garcia Elementary School. The Little Red School House served as the Library at the time, and I played countless hours of basketball on the cement courts next to the School House and baseball behind the School House, where it served as the backstop for our games.
Frick’s a great western souvenir shop. I only ever remember buying that ring, but loved going in there to look around, especially when my grandmother came to visit from the Midwest. It always reminded me of the shops up in the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim.
Thanks again for an old time picture (it looks like it is from the early to mid 1970′s to me) of my old ‘neighborhood’.
michael birdsong
boulder, colorado
WHS Class of 1981
HI, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I ENDED UP HERE, BUT WAS THRILLED TO SEE THAT THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO REMEMBER “FRICK’S INDIAN STORE” AND “CUSTARD’S LAST STAND”…MY PARENTS MARY AND HENRY FRICK OWNED AND RAN FRICKS. AND I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD, WHEN WE WERE STILL LOCATED IN THE BUILDING BESIDE IT, IDENTIFIED AS CACTUS BARN, THAT I PESTERED THE MAN, I KNEW ONLY AS “WALT” AS HE BUILT THE CUSTARDS BUILDING. IT HAD MANY OWNERS, BUT HE WAS MY FAVORITE…AND THE ORIGINAL…I WAS MARRIED TO BILLY PHELPS BY 1981, HE TOO A WICKENBURG RAISED KID..I GRADUATED IN 1965 AND HE IN 1963.WHEN WE MOVED THERE IN 1950 THE NASSERS OWNED THE GROCERY STORE ACROSS FROM THE STORE, THE STADLERS HAD ANOTHER INDIAN STORE DOWN THREE DOORS WEST OF US, THE STIFLES OWNED THE MOTEL IN BETWEEN US. ALL OF US PLAYED TOGETHER.. I KNOW THAT ALL 3 OF THE NASSER KIDS STILL LIVE IN AND HAVE BUSINESSES IN WICKENBURG… THE PHOTO OF THE STORE WHICH HAS THE FRICK’S SIGN, IS FROM A POST CARD THAT MY PARENTS HAD MADE AND SOLD…SO THAT CUSTOMERS COULD EITHER FIND THEIR WAY BACK FOR MORE INDIAN GOODS, OR CALL. WAS A WONDERFUL TIME GROWING UP IN WICKENBURG. I LOVED IT AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE FROM 1950 TO 1965 WHEN I GRADUATED AND MOVED TO TEMPE WHERE I LIVED FOR 35 YEARS. NOW I LIVE IN QUEEN CREEK, ARIZONA, WHICH WAS TINY WHEN I MOVED HERE 8 YEARS AGO, BUT BUSTING AT THE SEAMS NOW. I THINK DAILY OF COMING HOME TO WICKENBURG…I HOPE OTHERS SEE THIS SITE, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO EITHER GREW UP THERE OR IS THERE NOW.
WICKENBURG HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TREASURE THAT MANY HAVE CHERISHED…
SUSI FRICK PHELPS
Susan, thanks for taking the time to write. I’ve been living in Wickenburg for 11 years now and it’s changed a lot in just that time. I bet you wouldn’t recognize it.
If you have any old photos of the town you’d like to share, please send them! I can scan them and send them right back. I’m trying to build our Then and Now section. Use the Contact link at the top of the page to get in touch and I’ll send you a mailing address. (This offer is good to anyone who has old photos of the town.)